Even in shape the two were roughly similar. They could see the tall, slim defrost towers, an occasional house and the geometrical designs of the groves and orchards with their orderly rows of trees. There was Town at the lower end of the valley. And there, at the upper end, was something they never knew existed; a large, ivy-clad building that stretched from cliffside to cliffside. And yet above that was a still, blue lake. Henry looked ahead again. There _was_ a difference in the other valley. There were no orderly rows of fruit trees, only thick forest like that which grew only in their ravines or beyond the foot of the valley. The defrost towers looked down on multicolored autumn foliage, even in the bottom of the valley where everything should be green. Why weren't there fruit trees for the defrosters to protect? What kind of a crop did this valley grow? Henry scrambled to his feet. Theta looked up at him. "What...?" "I'm going down there." "What for?" "To see what they grow. What kind of people they are." "They might...." He smiled down at her. "I've become an expert at not being seen," he assured her. "I've had them pass five feet away." Theta got up. "I'm coming, too." They reached the force fence, but there was no irritation. The forest started immediately and it was fairly clear of underbrush. There were no paths to be seen, no sounds of harvesters, no unfamiliar trees. Even on the floor of the valley there were no signs of life, although they had seen and avoided several houses. Henry stopped suddenly, staring ahead. "What's the matter?" Theta asked. Wordlessly Henry pointed to the bole of a dead and rotting tree. Its straight trunk had branches coming out of it in orderly rings, its top cut off to make the branches spread at ladder distance above the ground. It leaned drunkenly against a supporting tree. "Avocado," he said. "This was once a grove." The normal fear of the unfamiliar swept over Theta. "I want to get out of here. It scares me," she quavered. Henry glanced up at the sun. "Too late to cross over now," he said. "We'll find a house." He turned and looked about. There should be one close, on the slope of the ridge so as not to take up useable land. He sighted one and made for it. From the outside it looked no different from those in their own valley. Beside it was an old apple tree with some emaciated fruit on it. At least they wouldn't starve. As the house was obviously empty he went around to the back, got a picking ladder off the rack and plucked enough fruit to fill their pouches, although it was unflavorable. Not until then did they venture to the front door and push it open. * * * * *